MADRAPP Report: Miller Gives Madison Officials Update On Crescere Resort Following Successful September Event

Article By Kim Smith, Contributing Journalist for MadRapp.com

A highlight of Wednesday’s meeting of the Madison County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors was a report by Crescere Agri-Resort owner Barbara Miller on its Madison County Emergency Services Festival held Saturday evening, September 25.

The benefit raised money for three county public safety organizations including the Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and the Fire Department and included beer and wine tastings, food trucks, fishing for children along with the ambiance of the farm and property.

Children also could play in a bouncy house and families could take a hayride around the farm while adults enjoyed a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, a chance at a fantastic door prize, and shopping at the stands of local vendors.

Miller also had live music playing from the pavilion located in the hollow next to the lake on the property.

That proved the consternation of several neighboring property owners who complained about noise pollution during the Special Use Permit process Miller endured in 2020 when she got her Rural Resort permit and one, who currently has several civil suits pending in Madison County Circuit Court against Miller’s two limited liability companies (Crescere Resort LLC and Crystallis LLC, that owns the Uno property along with the county supervisors who approved the SUP.

The county has no noise ordinance, but commissioners and the supervisors had concerns during the SUP process to place several conditions on the permit pertaining to the issue.

Miller used the joint meeting to keep the board and commission updated and the county’s residents informed by outlining some of the events held during the celebration.

To get a better understanding of the noise issue, Miller’s planning team which includes Kesewick-based Innovative Audio and Sound owner Brain Thompson.

Thompson performed decibel testing before and during the event using professional equipment. He also tested the sound level at Wednesday’s meeting, telling the bodies the sound at the meeting was louder than when the two bands played "94% of the time”.

All readings – except two – were well beneath the maximums allowed in other jurisdictions – 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night.

After Thompson established a baseline pre-event and at various times during the event, a number of measurements were taken at the resort’s two entrances, on Race Ground Road that borders the property, at the border underneath the power lines, and at the pavilion/stage (the two highest on-site readings during band performances).

Miller provided these readings to the Board and Planning Commission as well as noise levels and their impact on humans – from jet take-off down to breathing.

Those who attended the event – paying adults, children at no charge, vendors, and volunteers – as well as representatives from the benefitting organizations, enjoyed their day, helped raise over $15,000 for our public safety departments.

The donation to the Sheriff’s Office will support anti-drug programs, Project Lifesaver (designed to help track people with cognitive disorders who wander), and its Rape Awareness Defense (RAD) program.

EMS will gain more toward its building; ambulance bays and bunk rooms and the fire department will have additional funds to upgrade and update essential equipment.

Crescere focuses on sustainable agriculture – particularly its hemp operation (think clothes and rope plus hundreds of other uses to minimize deforestation and plastics)– didn’t skimp on educational offerings either.

The Fire Department provided training on the proper use of fire extinguishers – and appropriate types – through the PASS (Pull – the pin; Aim – low: Squeeze – the nozzle; Sweep – from side to side) method.

EMS, which recently won a grant to purchase a number of defibrillators so as to have more throughout the county, demonstrated how to use the talk-you-through-it equipment, and the Sheriff’s Office held a RAD training class for women. One lesson learned during the training – a proper defense can be quite painful to someone with criminal intent.

Link to article here.